Method and apparatus for tunneling data through a single port

Abstract

A communication protocol stack for enabling multimedia communication between communicating devices where multiple port communication data is tunneled through a single TCP port is provided. The communication protocol stack includes, at an application level, the capability to identify whether received communication data is for a communication port. If the received communication data is for the communication port, then the communication protocol stack includes the ability to forward identification data regarding the received communication data to a table in advance of forwarding the received communication data to a driver level of the communication protocol stack. A method, computer readable medium, and a system for tunneling port traffic through a single HTTP port are also provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates generally to the transmission of information across the Internet, and more specifically to methods, systems, and apparatus for rapid, real-time transmission of information across the Internet and within networks and networked systems. [0002] Many Internet based applications require real-time transmission and exchange of data for effective implementation. By way of example, H323 Internet video conferencing provides rapid, real time data exchange to present video and audio data for participants in local and remote settings. Typically, to realize the benefits of necessary real-time data exchange, data is transmitted over unreliable User Datagram Protocol / Internet Protocol (UDP / IP). The advantage of using the unreliable UDP over the reliable Transmission Control Protocol (TCP, also TCP / IP) is primarily an advantage of speed. UDP has less overhead since it does not transmit packet acknowledgement, packet verification, packe...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method and communication protocol for tunneling data through a single HTTP port in order to pass through a firewall configured to limit the number of unblocked ports for transmitting data. This allows for secure communication between devices even when using multimedia communication standards. The invention can be implemented in various ways, such as as a process, apparatus, system, device, method, communication protocol, or computer readable media. The technical effects of the invention include improved security and efficiency in data transmission, as well as increased flexibility and reliability in communication between devices.

Problems solved by technology

In real time media transmission and play-back, such transmissions and verification processes negatively impact the system performance.

This creates a problem for videoconferencing standards as the videoconferencing standards require a large number of TCP and UDP ports are required to be unblocked. FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of two computers communicating through a firewall.

When rapid, real-time transmission is desired, a firewall can and often does limit or prevent desired video conferencing capability.

However, the TCP connection results in poor quality video due to the retransmission of missed packets, i.e., the reliability characteristics of the TCP connection.

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